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UWA Business School

Arts/law student and Whadjuk-Ballardong community member Dylan Collard, from The University of Western Australia, has been named 2013 NAIDOC Perth Male Youth of the Year.

The Perth Awards run by NAIDOC (named after the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) recognise outstanding achievements by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, organisations and businesses ahead of NAIDOC Week, July 7-14.

Dylan was recognised for his community work, studies and reconciliation movement activities.

He began studying at UWA in 2010 after attending Guildford Grammar School and exploring tertiary study options at the annual Future Footprints Expo for Indigenous high school students.

Dylan was active in the WA Student Aboriginal Corporation, gained an internship at a major law firm and was recently elected ‘Prime Minister at the National Indigenous Youth Parliament.

He also co-founded ‘iAmtheOther', a student-run organisation that aims to bridge the social divide between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous people through promoting meaningful conversations and building mutually respectful relationships.

More than 200 Indigenous high school students from regional and remote WA will get a chance to meet Dylan next week and share his experiences at this year's Future Footprints Expo at the UWA Business School, where he will seek to inspire others to follow in his footsteps.

The visiting students, from participating Perth independent boarding schools, will attend the Woodside-sponsored event to learn more about study and work opportunities at Technical And Further Education (TAFE) colleges, universities, government departments and major companies.

The students will also meet West Coast Eagles players and be entertained by popular personality Mary G, also known as the Big Black Queen of the Kimberley.

The Dean of the UWA Business School, Winthrop Professor Phil Dolan, said the Future Footprints Expo aimed to inspire high school students to undertake further study and consider the wide range of careers available to them.

"UWA is committed to encouraging and supporting students from diverse backgrounds, and offers a big range of scholarships and programs, including Aspire UWA, UWay, Broadway UWA and Fairway UWA," Professor Dolan said.

Roni Forrest, spokesperson for the Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia (AISWA) which organises the Future Footprints Expo, said students would get an opportunity at the UWA Business School to discuss university courses, entry pathways and scholarships.

"Planning is the key to a successful transition into a career, and we offer students access to as many pathways into as many different careers as possible," she said.

"Students can also meet UWA students who have completed their degrees to get them thinking at an early age about post-secondary training or employment."

The Future Footprints Expo runs from 5-8pm at the UWA Business School next Monday (July 1).

Media references

Karen Della Torre (UWA Business School)    (+61 8) 6488 8538
Roni Forrest (AISWA)     +618 9441 1647 / 0408 259 954
Michael Sinclair-Jones (UWA Public Affairs)         (+61 8)  6488 3229  /  (+61 4) 00 700 783